Mirabile by Janet Kagan Read Free Book Online Page B

“Best you observe its habits as well as its genes.”
    The decision on the beastly had been to push it back from the inhabited areas rather than to shoot on sight. Nasty as it was, it could be driven off by loud sounds (bronze bells, now that I thought of it!) and it made a specialty of hunting what passed for rats on Mirabile. Those rats were considerably worse than having to yell yourself hoarse when you traveled through the plains farmlands.
    “If you’d jogged my memory earlier,” I said, “I wouldn’t have bothered to check your credentials with Elly.”
    “Annie, I didn’t think bragging was in order.”
    “Facts are a little different than brags. Now I can stop worrying about your health and get down to serious business.”
    Leaving the plaster to harden, I headed him down to the boats. “Two boats today, Leonov Opener Denness. You stake out that side of the loch, I’ll stake out this. Much as I’d enjoy your company, this gives us two chances to spot something and the sooner we get this sorted out, the better it’ll be for Elly. Whistle if you spot anything. Otherwise, I’ll meet you back here an hour after dusk.”
    We’d probably have to do a nighttime wait too, but I was hoping the thing wasn’t strictly nocturnal. If it was, I’d need more equipment, which meant calling Mike, which meant making it formal and public.
    There’s nothing more irritating than waiting for a Dragon’s Tooth to rear its ugly head, even if Page 21

    you’re sure the head’s herbivorous. After all these years, I’m pretty good at it. Besides, there were otters and odders to watch, and it was one of those perfect days on Loch Moose. I’d have been out contemplative fishing anyhow. This just took its toll of watching and waiting, which is not nearly as restful. Somewhere in the back of my mind, the plesiosaur still swam sinisterly in Loch Ness.
    Susan’s odders, as ugly as they were, proved in action almost as much fun as the otters, though considerably sillier looking. And observation proved her right—several times I saw them dive down and come up with a mouthful of lilies or clogweed.
    A breeze came up—one of those lovely ones that Loch Moose is justly famous for—soft and sweet and smelling of lilies and pine and popcorn tree.
    The pines began to smoke. I found myself grateful to the Dragon’s Tooth for putting me on the loch at the right time to see it.
    The whole loch misted over with drifting golden clouds of pollen. I could scarcely see my hand in front of my face. That, of course, was when I heard it. First a soft thud of hooves, then something easing into the water. Something big. I
    strained to see, but the golden mist made it impossible.
    I was damned glad Leo had told me his past history, otherwise I’d have worried.
    I knew he was doing exactly what I was doing at that moment—keeping dead silent and listening.
    I brought up my flare gun in one hand and my snagger in the other.
    Even if it was a plesiosaur, a flare right in the face should drive it off. I couldn’t bring myself to raise the shotgun. Must be I’m mellowing in my old age.
    I could still hear the splash and play of the otters and the odders on either side of me. That was a good sign as well. They’d decided it wasn’t a hazard to them.
    My nerves were singing, though, as I heard the soft splashing coming toward me.
    I turned toward the sound, but still couldn’t see a thing. There was a gurgle, like water being sucked down a drain, and suddenly I couldn’t locate it by ear anymore.
    I guessed it had submerged, but that didn’t do a thing for my nerves…
    The best I could do was keep an eye on the surface of the water where it should have been heading if it had followed a straight line—and that was directly under my boat. Looking straight down, I could barely make out a dark bulk. I could believe the ton estimate.
    It reached the other side. I lost sight of it momentarily. Then, with a surge that brought up an entire float of